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     Before the
                      Federal Communications Commission
     Washington, D.C. 20554

In the Matter of                     )
                                     )
Amendment of Section 73.202(b),     )   MM Docket No. 99-204
Table of Allotments,                 )  RM-9623
FM Broadcast Stations.               )
(Grand View, Idaho)                  ) 

                         REPORT AND ORDER
                           (Proceeding Terminated)                             

   Adopted:  February 2, 2000           Released:  February 11, 2000

 By the Chief, Allocations Branch:
 
     1.  Before the Commission for consideration is the Notice of Proposed Rule Making ("Notice"), 14
 FCC Rcd 9043 (1999), issued in response to a petition for rule making filed by Mountain West
 Broadcasting ("petitioner") proposing the allotment of Channel 228A to Grand View, Idaho, as that
 locality's first local aural transmission service.  Petitioner and Grand View Broadcasting Company
 ("GBC") each filed supporting comments in response to the Notice.  FM Idaho Co. ("FM Idaho") also
 filed responsive comments.  No other comments were received. 

     2.  As stated in the Notice, the proposed allotment of Channel 228A to Grand View requires a site
 restriction 10.2 kilometers (6.3 miles) south of the community at coordinates 42-53-47 NL and 116-05-30
 WL to comply with the minimum distance separation requirements set forth in Section 73.207(b) of the
 Commission's Rules.  
 
     3.  FM Idaho reports that the transmitter site proposed for Grand View is technically unacceptable
 as it is located on land owned by the U.S. government and administered by the Bureau of Land
 Management ("BLM").  FM Idaho provided a letter from the Owyhee Area Realty Specialist of the Boise
 field office of the BLM, stating that the proposed referenced transmitter site is unavailable and unsuitable
 for an electronics site.  According to the BLM, there is no electrical power to the site, and that the cost of
 providing it would be prohibitive.  Additionally, BLM advises that as a prerequisite to consideration of
 an antenna site on land administered by the Department of the Interior, environmental studies and
 clearances must be requested before any decision could be rendered as to the suitability of establishing a
 communications site.   FM Idaho urges denial of the proposal to allot Channel 228A to Grand View,
 Idaho, based upon the petitioner's failure to take into account the BLM wilderness-area circumstances, or
 to demonstrate the suitability of an alternate transmitter site to accommodate its proposal. 
     
       4. In consideration of the above, we do not find that it would serve the public interest
       to allot a channel to Grand View.  Evidence has been presented herein to demonstrate that in
       the absence of appropriate environmental studies, the BLM will not consider a request for use
       of the land in question, and that is sufficient to provide a reasonable assurance of the site's
       unavailability.  Moreover, petitioner did not rebut the evidence presented or provide any
       engineering showing that an alternate site not encompassed on land managed by the Bureau of
       Land Management is available from which the technical requirements of the Commission's
       Rules could be met. 
     
     5.  In view of the above, IT IS ORDERED, That the petition of Mountain West Broadcasting
proposing the allotment of Channel 228A to Grand View, Idaho (RM-9623), IS DENIED.

     6.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, That this proceeding IS TERMINATED.
  
     7.  For further information concerning the above, contact Nancy Joyner, Mass Media
Bureau, (202) 418-2180.  
               
               FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
  
  
  
                         
               John A. Karousos
               Chief, Allocations Branch
               Policy and Rules Division
               Mass Media Bureau